


No Longer Alone

by lonelywere



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Developing Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Original Character(s), Polyamory, Porn With Plot, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:27:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22143301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelywere/pseuds/lonelywere
Summary: The story of the Warriors of Light. Original characters journeying together through the storyline. This will follow all of the storyline, and any sidequests that I feel are pertinent. (No I'm not going to go through every single fetch quest.)Liberties with the story have been made, mostly to help with the creation of a believable story and assisting with roleplay.
Relationships: Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	1. In the Beginning

Chapter 1 – In the Beginning

Azrael blinked his eyes open blearily. It had been a very long ride down from the snowy wilderness of Coerthas. For an instant, it had felt like he had been in another time and place…surrounded by the light of Hydaelyn.

“Y’all right, lad?” Azrael’s eyes glanced up, seeing a middle-aged man watch him with an air of concern. “You were moanin’ somethin’ fierce for a while there.”

Azrael nodded, shaking his head a little to clear the cobwebs. “Yeah. I’m okay. Thank you though.”

“You must be feeling the effects of the aether, I reckon,” The man replied, sitting back against the side of the cart. “You’ll get used to it, though, don’t worry.” Azrael glanced around, noticing the new surroundings. When he had dozed off, he was still in the snowbanks of Western Coerthas. Now the cart was weaving through the paths deep in the forests of Gridania. It was beautiful, and already malms above what he was used to.

“You there!” A voice called out, and the Lalafell driver slowed to a stop. Azrael stood up to look over the barrier, his hand sliding to the wand at his waist out of habit. He had been working steadily at his conjury at his home, helping to heal disturbances in the town and he was glad he had finally saved up enough money for the trip into Gridania to join the Adventurer’s Guild. _Of course, it would be my luck for something bad to happen on the trip._ A soldier—one of the Twin Adder from the looks of it—was running up the path towards the cart. “There are Ixal raiding parties about, you can’t—”

Azrael felt something nick his arm and the man yelled in alarm. Azrael looked around, drawing the wand. There was an arrow embedded in the wood between the man’s feet, and Azrael recognized the look of the arrow instantly.

Ixal.

There was a line of birdmen, one with a bow that was rapidly knocking another arrow. The soldier yelled a war cry and several other soldiers charged the line. “Hold on!” The driver shouted and snapped his reins. The chocobo took off like a shot, Azrael staggering before dropping to his knees. An arrow shot over his head a moment later, and the battle was soon left behind.

“Hoo, that was close,” The man sighed, wiping his brow. He glanced at Azrael and made a double-take. “Oi, you’re bleeding!” Azrael glanced down and saw that the nick he had felt must have been the arrow hitting him. His left arm had a deep cut in the upper bicep, with blood running down his arm and dripping off his fingers. _Huh. Must’ve been the adrenaline. I didn’t even notice I was bleeding._ He hooked his wand back onto its sheath on his belt and raised his other hand to his arm. Azrael concentrated and there was a flash of blue light as he called upon his healing magicks. This had been one skill that his village had been sorry to lose. _The only thing they would miss will be this,_ Azrael thought wryly as he felt the skin stitch itself back together. The cart was finally slowing down, the battle several hundred malms away at this point. He settled himself back into his seat, noting the two children that had been sitting calmly beside him hadn’t stirred in the slightest. The man opposite him, however, was stroking his goatee. “You’ve got some skill there lad,” He said after a pause. “You’ll definitely be wanted in Gridania before long.”

Azrael didn’t reply, but he did notice a brief flash of white out of the corner of his eye. Turning to look, he saw what was unmistakably a moogle flying alongside the cart. Azrael blinked in disbelief since they were notoriously fickle creatures that rarely showed themselves to mortals. The moogle noticed his stare, twirled a bit, and then floated off into the trees. _Hmm._

“Are you very familiar with Gridania then lad?” The man persisted, which made Azrael sigh internally. _Why people insist on making small talk is beyond me._

“Yes,” Azrael replied, forcing his features into a genial smile. “I’ve had to make some trips into Gridania before to accompany some of the Twin Adder that had made patrols to our settlement. It was before the Calamity though, when I was much younger.”

“Ahh…” The man nodded, leaning back against the seat. “Yes, the Calamity changed the realm all over. I imagine that’s why you’re going to Gridania? Coerthas isn’t quite as welcoming as she once was, eh?”

“No,” Azrael said quietly. The Calamity had changed the green farmlands and lush forests of Coerthas into a frozen tundra, which had made it all the easier for the Ixal and the dragons to take over more and more. Between the beast tribes and the heretics, the small town of Villmont had become smaller and smaller. And since Azrael had been an orphan at a young age living mainly on the support of the village and what odd jobs he could do, fewer people in town had made it all the easier for those that remained to ignore him. “It certainly isn’t welcoming anymore.”

Azrael had been used to being ignored and alone by the townfolk, but his skills had kept him alive and useful. _Hopefully, this will translate into a slightly more comfortable life._ The clothes on his back were all he had, as threadbare as they were. The wand he carried was one that a merchant he had nursed back to health during a foraging mission in the forest had insisted he take as a reward. And it was over seven years old.

He desperately looked forward to upgrading his equipment as soon as possible. And a hot meal. His stomach rumbled as he thought of the last time he had eaten, early yesterday morning. Azrael realized that the gentleman opposite him had been chatting away for the last couple minutes about the changes to Gridania since the Calamity, and hadn’t noticed that his mind had been wandering. Azrael changed his expression to one of polite interest, but he could see the spires and grand trees of Gridania coming into view behind the man. He felt his excitement building as the cart began to slow and they passed through the large gates into the district of New Gridania. He knew that a lot had changed since he had last been here.

The cart came to a stop and the driver stood up. Or, he appeared to get slightly taller at least. _It’s always hard to tell with Lalafell’s._ “Okay, Gridania! Everyone off, I’m going to go drink.”

The two children got off and walked slowly but surely off into the city proper without a word or a backward glance. The man watched them leave, scratching his chin. “Children these days…” He turned to look at Azrael. “Well, thank you for the company. Best of luck on your journey to become an adventurer. What was your name?”

“Azrael,” Azrael replied. “Azrael Ambrosia.” The man held out his hand, and Azrael grasped his forearm.

“Pleasure to meet you, and I’ll be sure to remember that name,” The man winked. “I’m sure that your name will become a legend before long. And here,” He held out his right hand to Azrael, who promptly held his own out. The man dropped a ring into it. It was a relatively simple-looking ring at first glance, but it was a beautiful and elegant silver band with a tourmaline gem set in it. “As a thank you,” The merchant bowed low and Azrael nodded at him, slipping the ring on his right hand. It fit perfectly, strangely enough. He glanced back up to watch the merchant leave, but he had already faded into the crowd.

Azrael took a deep breath and started his own path up the slope. He made through the inner gates to the city when he heard— “Oi!” Azrael turned to see a member of the Twin Adder, Gridania’s Grand Company, beckoning him over. He was an Elezen like Azrael, which meant tall and slender. He appeared to be a Duskwright (unlike Azrael’s own Wildwood heritage) which meant all of his features were considerably darker in tone. Azrael walked over to the soldier hesitantly.

“Yes ser?” Azrael asked politely.

“You must be one of the new adventurers, newly come to Gridania?” The soldier asked, his features set in grim lines. Azrael nodded warily. “You’ll want to head straight down this lane and veer to the left when the path splits. That will take you on into the Carline Canopy, which is run by Mother Miounne. This is the local tavern and Mother Miounne runs both the tavern and the local Adventurer’s Guild. You’ll want to head to her and make your introductions. She will show you around the town.” Azrael felt his eyebrows raise in surprise briefly before he smoothed his face over into a small smile.

“Thank you ser,” Azrael bowed his head. “I’ll do just that.” He continued walking, allowing the smile to slip off his face. _That was surprising. I was expecting a slightly haughtier greeting since Gridania was so against outside influences._ He continued down the path, weaving through the people going about their business. It was definitely a very mixed crowd in the main squares, with all of the races and creeds mixing about. _Very surprising._ Azrael followed the path to the left as instructed, and saw a large wooden building that took up a shelf of sorts against the cliff. He could see an airship hangar below the building as well, and he felt a thrill of excitement ring through him.

He walked through the wide archway leading inside and immediately was hit by the smell of hot food and the sounds of chattering people. He saw a large counter with a tall female Elezen who was directing a small group of tired-looking people. They appeared to be adventurers, from their ragged appearances. They left at her word and Azrael approached her quickly. She had a warm, motherly air about her and a kind face. “Welcome, welcome. New to the Guild dear?” She motioned for him to have a seat on a stool in front of her. “Well, tell me about yourself then.” Azrael hesitated, his ears reddening slightly. He saw her face soften a little. “If I’m going to be entering you into our records, I need to know a little about you. Whatever you feel comfortable sharing dear.”

“Um,” Azrael cleared his throat a little. There were some bread and meat behind Mother Miounne, which was making it very hard to concentrate. She followed his gaze and smiled a little. She turned and put the basket in front of him.

“On the house dear,” She smiled. “You seem a little…thinner than is healthy. You’ll work it off soon enough, I’m sure.” Azrael dug in gratefully.

“Well…” Azrael said between mouthfuls. “I’m from Villmont.”

“That’s up near Camp Dragonhead isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Azrael nodded, surprised she knew where it was. “In the shadow of the Stone Vigil. You’ve heard of it?”

Mother Miounne laughed and folded her arms in front of herself. “Of course, dear. Go on.”

“I was an orphan,” Azrael continued, turning his gaze down to appear as though he was interested in the food. “I know nothing about my parents, no one knew anything about me. I’ve been doing odd jobs in the town to survive. My best friend died after the Calamity and the town sort of fell to pieces between the Ixal and the heretics. So, I saved up money to come here.”

Miounne seemed to think for a moment, which allowed Azrael to take several more bites of food. “What skills do you have?”

Azrael swallowed his mouthful and cleared his throat. “Well, I’m skilled in conjury. It’s what I’m best at. I’m…okay with a spear, sword, and bow. And I’m a skilled woodworker and with plants.”

Miounne nodded slowly, making a note in a small notebook by her hand. “Well, to start. I’m going to send you to make some rounds about the city and introduce yourself. Once you’ve done so, I want you to come back and I’ll have some work for you.”

She began explaining, and Azrael could feel the excitement building inside him. _Finally. No more wondering where my next meal is coming from. I’ll be able to actually do something with my life._

Several hours later, however, he was slightly more tired and grumpy than he expected. Delivering pies to the person in charge of the markets and running simple errands about the city wasn’t as glamorous as he had hoped. _At least I’m making money. Soon I’ll be able to get some new equipment, instead of these rags._ He made his way back to the Canopy as night began to fall, yawning widely. Mother Miounne was occupied with a tall Roegadyn, chatting away amiably. Azrael hung back politely, but Miounne waved him forward.

“All finished?” Miounne asked. Azrael nodded tiredly to her. “Attuned to the Aetheryte?” Another nod from Azrael. “Good, very good. You have probably already figured this out, but the city Aetheryte should be your first stop in any new town.” Azrael nodded again, blinking tiredly. He heard Miounne laugh and focused his attention on her. “More excitement than you’re used to?”

Azrael sighed and sat heavily on the stool in front of her again. “I took your advice and helped some people out on my way. It’s just what I would be doing at home, there are just a lot more people here than back home. I might’ve overstretched myself a bit, but the tasks are done.”

“That’s very good then,” Miounne said approvingly, nodding to him. “That’s how you get noticed. I had a room made up for you. Before you go, however.” She indicated the man leaning against the counter by her. “This is Brixman. He is a fellow adventurer, newly come to Gridania as well. I did not want him going out by himself, so I am going to pair the two of you together for your first couple missions.” Azrael looked at him warily, a politely blank mask on his face. “If you two end up disliking each other, feel free to go your own ways. But for your first outing tomorrow, I’d appreciate it if you would do as I ask.” She slid a key across the counter to Azrael and indicated a set of stairs to her left. The key was simple and had a large tag on it that said “E6.” Azrael glanced at Brixman, who nodded encouragingly at him.

“I will meet you out here in the morning Azrael,” Brixman nodded his head at him. His voice did not match his tall and imposing frame, quiet with a slight lilt to it. He had a deep green tunic and breeches on with knee-high black boots. “Have a pleasant evening.”

Azrael nodded to him, picking up the key. “Likewise.” He trudged off to the stairs.

Miounne turned to Brixman. “That’s a little surprising,” She teased him. “You were so courteous,” Brixman grumbled at her, and Miounne gasped. “Are…are you blushing Brix? Don’t tell me…”

Brixman held up a finger to her, grinning despite his blush. “Don’t you even finish that sentence Mother.” Brixman strode off to his own quarters, leaving a bemused Miounne in his wake.

* ~ *

Azrael blinked his eyes open blearily. It had been so long since he had been able to sleep without needing to watch his back, let alone sleep in a proper bed in a proper establishment. _I wish I didn’t have to get up and do things today. But if I spent the whole day lounging about…I’d feel awful at the end of the day._ He had never been one to lay about and do nothing…always needed to keep himself occupied.

He swung his feet off the bed and onto the floor, rubbing his eyes before standing and stretching. There was a sharp rapping on the door followed by the door immediately opening. Azrael’s eyes widened as the door swung open to show Brixman. He was fully dressed in chainmail.

And he was clearly not expecting to find Azrael completely naked.

Azrael froze, feeling heat flush his face as Brixman also seemed to freeze in place for a moment. Brixman promptly turned around, coughing into his fist. “Uh…I was coming to wake you since it’s the tenth bell and we need to get going. I’ll…” He reached behind himself and fumbled for the doorknob. He managed to snag it without turning around and promptly shut the door. “I’ll just wait upstairs for you then!” He called through the door, and Azrael could hear the jingling of his chainmail as he went upstairs.

Azrael sat quickly down on the bed, covering his face in his hands. _I can’t believe he just saw me naked. And now I have to spend the day with him._ Azrael sighed and stood up. He tied his hair back from his face as he usually did, and dressed quickly. He left the room and walked upstairs to the main floor. The tavern was just as busy as it had been yesterday, crowds of people and adventurers. He spotted Brixman standing by the archway leading outside, staring at the wall of wood and seeming to rub his face. Azrael felt his face flush again, but straightened his spine and walked over to him.

Brixman turned at his approach and smiled bravely at him. “So…uh…good morning,” Brixman said formally, scratching the back of his head. Azrael was fairly close to him now and could see that the normal hue of his skin was a very light periwinkle-blue. But his ears were a vivid scarlet, and Azrael smiled up at him.

“So…what is on the agenda for today?” Azrael attempted to gloss over their mutual embarrassment.

“Well, I figured we would head into Bentbranch Meadow and complete some errands,” Brixman replied, crossing his arms in front of him. “I need to cull some monsters for the Gladiators Guild, and there have been some reports of strange activities in the forest around Bentbranch Meadow.” Azrael’s eyes had narrowed when he mentioned his guild. “Uh…something wrong with being a gladiator?” Brixman asked nervously, scratching the back of his head absentmindedly.

“What?” Azrael asked in surprise. “Oh. Did I make a face? Sorry. I try not to do that. I didn’t know there was a Gladiator’s Guild.”

Brixman’s eyes widened in shock. “Did you not visit the Conjurer’s Guild yesterday?”

Azrael stared blankly at him. “There’s a Conjurer’s Guild?” Brixman laughed at him and indicated that he should follow.

About two hours later, they were walking towards the western gates. “I’m sorry to delay your plans,” Azrael repeated, and Brixman waved his hand at him.

“It’s important that you complete the tasks that your Guild asks of you, Az…Azrael.” Azrael laughed.

“Tell you what,” Azrael said, smiling at Brixman’s obvious embarrassment. “You can call me Az if I can call you Brix.”

Brix smiled broadly at him. “Deal.”

Several hours passed as they continued through the western reaches of the Twelveswood, completing a lecture that Brother E-Sumi-Yan had asked him to attend as well as learning to clear corrupted aether in the land. And learning more about the elements under his control, which was all extremely informative.

Standing and brushing the dirt from his leggings, he turned and saw Brix quickly turning away. Azrael smiled at his back, seeing his ears turning red even with him facing away. “Shall we head back then?” Azrael asked, beginning to walk back towards the city. “If you’re done looking at my ass while I’m digging around in the dirt?”

Brixman spluttered. “I-I wouldn’t…how d-did—” Azrael started laughing and Brixman’s protests died away. “You…you didn’t know I was…”

“Until you confirmed my suspicions just now,” Azrael finished, laughing heartily at the blush spreading across Brix’s face. “I’m not angry Brix. It’s not like you’re the only person checking someone out today. Except next time I hope you won’t barge into my room unannounced.” Azrael laughed again at the blush spreading across Brix’s face and neck.

“How would I know you were going to be buck naked,” Brix grumbled, striding to catch up to Azrael.

“Well, I sleep nude,” Azrael replied with a grin. “So now you know.” He spared Brix a glance and saw that the blush across his face had deepened even more, so he decided to change topics. “So, what do you do for fun? Besides stabbing things with your sword?”

“Uh…” Brix seemed caught off guard and looked suspiciously at Azrael, who smiled encouragingly to him. “Well. I like to smith in my downtime. I like creating things from pieces. And I like helping people, which is why I decided to stop sailing and start adventuring. How about you?”

“Uh…” Azrael ran his fingers through his hair. “I haven’t had much downtime really. But I like to read. And sing, although I’m not very good. And I like…plants.” Azrael looked at Brix out of the corner of his eye, but Brix seemed genuinely interested in him. “And…” Azrael decided better of his next comment.

“And?” Brix asked slowly. When Azrael didn’t respond, Brix poked his shoulder lightly. “You can share Az. We’ve killed about twenty squirrels’ together. I won’t judge you now. If I was going to judge, it would’ve been after you crushed that one squirrel with a boulder.”

“Hey!” Azrael protested, which made Brix laugh heartily. “He went after me; I had no choice.” He hesitated, continuing to walk alongside Brix and they got closer to the city gates. “Well,” Azrael finally said after a moment of silence, deciding to throw caution to the wind, “I also like sex.” Brix coughed suddenly, and Azrael could see his cheeks flushing. “Not that you get to have much when you grow up in a backwater little village. Or any. But that’s besides the point.” Azrael laughed nervously, clearing his throat.

“Well,” Brix replied after a pause, “who doesn’t enjoy it?” Azrael looked at him in surprise and saw Brix looking at him with a mischievous gleam in his eye. He clapped Azrael on the shoulder and continued walking. Azrael came to a stop and stared after him in confusion and disbelief before remembering himself and running to catch up.

They walked in silence for a short time, passing through the gates into the heart of Old Gridania and walking through the beautiful city. “So,” Azrael said, breaking the silence after about fifteen minutes, “why did you decide to leave the sailors' life?” He turned to look at Brix’s face and saw that his face was very still. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” Azrael felt heat flush up his neck. _I was just trying to make conversation; I don’t want him—_

“No, it’s fine,” Brix replied, a forced smile coming to his lips. “It’s just not a very pleasant topic.” He scratched the back of his neck, which Azrael was noticing was a nervous tic of his. “I served nobly with a very fine captain ever since I could tie a mainsail. After about ten years, he decided to retire and turned things over to his First Mate. And his First Mate, I would soon find out, was a part of a band of pirates.” He looked directly at Azrael, who noticed for the first time that his were a beautiful shade of sea-green. “And we were above board when my Captain was in charge. So, I brought the matter to my Captain. And he…took the matter to the Yellow Jackets, without my knowledge.” Azrael looked questioningly at Brix. “Ah, yes. You wouldn’t know, would you? The Yellow Jackets are the…well, sort of a police force in Limsa Lominsa.”

“Ah,” Azrael said, nodding. “So, I wouldn’t imagine that went well?”

Brix looked down. “No. The Captain, who had been…as much a father to me as possible all those years…he went with the Yellow Jackets to try and persuade the men against this course of action. And some of the men were backing down…but the First Mate…Blodyshen…he set off a detonator and destroyed the ship. Everyone on board went down with the ship. We never found Blodyshen’s body, but if I ever find him…” Brix looked at Azrael again, and there was white-hot fury boiling in his eyes. Azrael placed his hand on Brix’s forearm gently, and the fury drained out of his eyes like someone had dumped a bucket of water on it. Only the pain remained behind, but that only remained for a moment before that vanished from his eyes as well.

“I’m sorry Brix,” Azrael said softly. Brix met his eyes for a long moment before nodding and looking forward.

“Well, at any rate, it looks like we are back at the Guild,” Brix smiled widely at him. “I’ll accompany you inside if you don’t mind. I’ve always been very interested in conjury.”

“Why don’t you see about joining then?” Azrael replied, smiling as they continued down the tunnel leading to the headquarters. “I could help you train, and it would help you get noticed by the Sultansworn.” Brix looked at him blankly. “How do you not know what the Sultansworn is?” Azrael rolled his eyes. “Well, either way. I would do it if I were you. But it’s your choice. I need to speak with Brother E-Sumi-Yan.” Brix stopped in the foyer of the Conjurer’s Guild, while Azrael walked hesitantly through the other acolytes and stopped in front of the imposing figure of Brother E-Sumi-Yan. Even as small as he was in comparison to Azrael, the power and authority surrounding him was palpable.

Azrael waited quietly for him to finish his conversation with an imposing looking Elezen in flowing blue robes. The man bowed to Brother E-Sumi-Yan and turned to leave. He sneered at Azrael, who felt his face flush. He glanced back to Brother E-Sumi-Yan who beckoned him forward. “Welcome back Azrael. I take it you completed the task I set before you?”

“Yes, Brother,” Azrael bowed low at the waist. When he looked up again, Brother E-Sumi-Yan was smiling at him.

“Come now Azrael,” He wagged his finger at him. “No more of this formality. Yes, I am the Guildmaster. But I don’t want you treating me like a saint. I’m here to help you learn.”

Azrael felt his face flush, but he smiled at him. “Yes, Brother. It was a fascinating lecture and the experience…was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. Do the corrupted patches of aether appear a lot?”

Brother E-Yumi-San’s face turned grave. “Not usually. But the Calamity changed things. But I would like to congratulate you on furthering your education in our Guild.” He smiled paternally at Azrael. “And to think, you were self-taught until now. To commemorate this occasion, I would like to give you these.” He beckoned to an acolyte that was standing a few feet away, and they brought over a small bundle. The acolyte gave them to Azrael, who took them with a smile. He unwrapped the bundle and found a new robe and a pair of boots, both in the Guild’s navy blue. There was also a new maple wand resting on top of the robes. Azrael looked up at E-Sumi-Yan in awe, beaming.

“Thank you so much Brother,” Azrael bowed to him. “I appreciate this very much.” Brother E-Sumi-Yan bowed in return, smiling back.

“You’ve more than earned it,” Brother E-Sumi-Yan replied. “Now, you aren’t heading into the Central Shroud are you?”

Azrael furrowed his brow. “Yes, that’s where we are heading next. Brix has heard some odd reports from there, and we are hoping to help.”

Brother E-Sumi-Yan’s face turned grave. “That was precisely what I wanted to warn you about. The elementals have been very restless, and have been talking of forces moving in the shadows. Be very careful, Azrael.” His eyes flicked over Azrael’s shoulder and he smiled again. “This wouldn’t happen to be Brix, would it?” Azrael glanced around and Brix was standing _literally_ behind him, maybe two inches away. Azrael yelped and jumped forward, stumbling a bit over his feet and falling. Except, he stopped about four inches from the floor, Brix’s strong arm around his waist and keeping him from landing on the wood floor. Brix pulled him back upright, Azrael blushing furiously.

“Yes,” Azrael responded, smacking his shoulder and immediately regretting it since he was wearing armor. “This is Brix.” He rubbed his throbbing hand with the other, glowering at Brix. Brix, for his part, was openly smirking at him. And Brother E-Sumi-Yan, for his part, was attempting to stifle a laugh.

“What brings you to us, Brix?” Brother E-Sumi-Yan asked politely. Brix scratched the back of his head nervously and handed over a slip of parchment. Brother E-Sumi-Yan took it and read it quickly. “Ah, interested in the skills of conjury then? Well, I assume that you were listening to the lecture that Azrael attended?”

“Y-yes Brother,” Brix replied nervously. “It was very interesting, but I’ve never channeled any kind of magic before.”

“I see,” Brother E-Sumi-Yan nodded slowly, rubbing his chin with his right hand. He glanced over to another acolyte, who immediately walked over to them and handed Brix a wand. “Azrael, you have shown very great promise. I will leave it to you to help Brix learn the ways of the conjurer. If you succeed, I may have other work for you besides attending lectures.” He grinned at Azrael, who bowed to him.

“Of course, Brother,” Azrael shot Brix a glare and smiled to E-Sumi-Yan. “And thank you for the warning. I will alert you if I discover anything.” Brother E-Sumi-Yan smiled and turned to speak with an acolyte that had approached him. Azrael turned and left, walking towards the foyer. Brix hurried to catch up.

“Sorry Az,” Brix said, trying to keep up with his long strides. “But I couldn’t—”

“Hmm?” Azrael turned to him, confused. “What’re you—oh, you mean scaring me? I know you weren’t being mean about it.” Azrael smiled. “You can make it up to me later.” He winked roguishly at Brix, who blushed. “No, the Guildmaster gave me a new robe and I really want to try it on.” He walked out the doors of the guild and paused in the empty tunnel leading to Nophica’s Altar. Brix stopped as well, looking at him questioningly. “Oh…fuck it.” Azrael seized the sides of his tunic and pulled upwards, stripping down to his breeches.

“Uh…” Brix approached him, attempting to shield him behind his broad body. “Couldn’t you wait until we got to the Canopy?” Azrael glanced at Brix before pulling the robe over his head.

“Nope,” Azrael straightened the robe, marveling in the softness of the fabric and practically giddy with excitement. “And I would’ve expected you to be pleased to have another chance to ogle me.” Brix made a noise of protest, but his red ears marked him as a liar. Azrael shucked his extremely worn boots off and promptly pulled on the new boots Brother E-Sumi-Yan had given him. His back immediately felt better, and he could feel innate enchantments in the fabric strengthening him subtly. “Hmm. I need a bag to carry things in.” Azrael replaced his worn wand with the new wand, but he rubbed the wood fondly as he carried his old boots and tunic in his other hand.

“Well, you should have some gil now that you’ve completed all these errands,” Brix replied brusquely. “Let’s head over to the market.” They walked through the busy pathways leading to the market stalls, Azrael noting the signs leading to other guilds in the city and housing districts.

“It’s still a little hard to believe that I’m really here,” Azrael said quietly, following in Brix’s wake. He glanced forward in time to see Brix coming to a stop. Azrael stepped around him and glanced at him. Brix had stopped so Azrael could walk beside him, from the looks of it, because he immediately began walking again to keep pace with him.

“I know the feeling,” Brix smiled at him. “So, you heard my sob story. What brings you to Gridania?”

Azrael looked down as his feet, encased in his brand-new boots. “Well. I was an orphan. My first memory is of being found sleeping in a barn and thrown outside. I eventually learned which families would allow me to sleep in their barn, or which houses would be empty at the right times so I could sleep in front of a fire. When I was…oh, probably about ten? A Twin Adder soldier was found outside the village in the morning. He was very badly wounded, it looked like a treant had caught him by surprise. Everyone just…went about their business. One of the men brought him into the mayor’s house, and they just…left him to die. No one really ever noticed me or cared what I did, so I went into the house and sat by the soldier’s side. He was unconscious and bleeding very badly. I…sort of moved on instinct, and before I knew it, I was healing him. I managed to close the majority of his wounds before I ran out of mana, but the light had drawn the attention of Old Mrs. Hartwell. Her husband had served in the Twin Adder and died fighting the Imperials, so she had a stable pension coming in. Enough to support herself and her son comfortably. I had run out of mana and was kneeling by the bed, trying to keep consciousness…and she helped me into a chair.” Azrael glanced up and over to Brix. His eyes were focused on Azrael, and he was rapt with attention. Azrael felt himself blush and looked away from his sea-green eyes.

“Then what happened?” Brix’s voice was soft and curious.

“Well, she chastised me for depleting my mana so thoroughly and checked on the soldier. Sure enough, the most severe injuries were weeks better and he was no longer in danger of dying. When I had recovered my mana, I managed to heal the soldier enough to get back on his feet and report in. The soldier was extremely grateful, and from then on Mrs. Hartwell cared for me as if I were one of her own. She taught me how to bandage and create some simple poultices and healing draughts. Until she died, three years later. By that time, I had improved my skills in conjury and started learning how to pick useful plants. I even managed to brew some more advanced healing draughts, which I gave to passing soldiers. When she passed away, her son Josiah allowed me to stay with him in the house. He was five years older than me, and he was working his family farm by himself. We had been fast friends in the time his mother was alive, and…” Azrael’s voice grew thick, and he stopped. Azrael didn’t look up from his boots, but he stopped walking. He noticed that they were nearing the market stalls, walking up the hill from the Amphitheatre. He heard Brix stop walking as well, and soon his greaves were in his eyesight as well.

“And?” Brix’s voice was gentle.

“We grew very close,” Azrael cleared his throat. “First love, and all that.” He glanced up at Brix, a thin smile on his lips.

“What happened?” Brix was close, close enough for Azrael to touch.

“Well, things were great until the Calamity,” Azrael tried to sound bored, but a little of the pain cracked through. “Then everything went to hell. Coerthas became a frozen wasteland, and it was hard to farm the lands. I gave up all my jobs and chores and helped Josiah with his farm, and then two years after the Calamity…when people had started leaving the village and patrols were no longer making it to our village…there was a raid.” Azrael turned and looked to his left, watching the waterfalls and pools in the nearby stream. “Ixal. And I couldn’t save him.” Azrael could feel tears streaking down his face. “I couldn’t save him.” His voice finally cracked and he swallowed hard, biting his lip to try and stem the tears.

Warm arms encircled him and Azrael opened his eyes in surprise. Brix had stepped forward and wrapped him in a tight hug, and Azrael wrapped his arms around him in return. He let his cheek rest on Brix’s shoulder and he let go, letting the sobs come as his shoulder shook.

“Shh,” Brix whispered, holding him tightly. They stood like that for a long moment, until Azrael’s sobs had quieted and he no longer shook from the pain that was still so raw, even three years later. Azrael cleared his throat and Brix released him. There was an uncertain smile on Brix’s face and a deep blush across his cheeks.

“That was three years ago,” Azrael’s voice was hoarse, and he wiped the tears off his face and cleared his throat again. “You’d think it’d stop hurting.” He sighed, and Brix was silent and watchful. “Well, the village grew smaller and smaller and eventually it became a struggle to find work enough to get food. So, I saved up money for weeks, going without food for days to keep saving. Eventually, I saved enough to get a ride here from Whitebrim Front, which was about a day’s travel on foot from my village. And here I am.”

Brix watched him quietly. Azrael felt his cheeks flush a little, remembering the warmth of his embrace only a few moments ago. “I’m sorry for your loss, Az.” Brix finally spoke, in a low voice. “But life is what we make of it. I’m glad that you’re here now.”

Azrael smiled weakly, trying to put the memory of his warm embrace out of his mind. “Me too.” He glanced up at the market stalls. “Let’s go waste some money, shall we?” Azrael stepped forward, trying to regain his composure.

Brix stared after him, his hands clenched into fists. He took a deep breath, reveling in the smell of _him_ that still lingered on him. He stepped after him, shaking his head a little to clear it.


	2. A Little Suspicion is Healthy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day out of the city! Adventure, battle, and meeting lots of weirdos.
> 
> * Warning *  
> This is a rough draft, I have no one to proofread. If you see major problems, please let me know via the comments.

Chapter 2 – A Little Suspicion is Healthy

“I keep telling you, I can carry my own things.”

“And I keep telling you, I don’t mind carrying the few things you bought.”

Azrael and Brix were walking through the gates leading into the Central Shroud, having spent more gil than they intended on getting some gear to help them on their travels. However, all of the items that Azrael had purchased had been snatched up and packed away in the bag Brix had bought for himself. Azrael grabbed Brix by the elbow and pulled him to a stop. Azrael fixed him with a glare, to which Brix laughed at him.

“Fine, then,” Brix smirked at him, pulling out the bandages and healing supplies that Azrael had purchased as a precaution and handed them to Azrael.

“Brix…” Azrael sighed, frowning at him as he carefully stowed the supplies in the bag that rested on his hip. “I also bought supplies to sleep outside if needed.”

“Yes, and considering that I am strong enough to carry all of this without difficulty while still being able to stab things with the pointy end of my sword, I’m going to continue to carry the heavy loads,” Brix replied fiercely, slinging his bag back across his back.

“Fine,” Azrael relented, snapping the bag shut. He gave Brix an impish smile. “I’ll just take the other loads for you.” He turned and continued walking down the path, ignoring Brix’s splutter and sudden coughing fit. He walked down the path and after a few moments Brix was right next to him again, his armor rattling up a storm. Brix’s cheeks were scarlet still, but Azrael pretended to not see them. “So, what is on the agenda in this area?”

“Mother Miounne mentioned that there was a member of the Twin Adder looking for assistance to investigate some odd occurrences in the Twelveswood,” Brix replied, pulling out his map. He pointed to a training ground near Bentbranch Meadow, a small village near Gridania. “I figure we could swing by Bentbranch to attune to its Aetheryte, and the continue on to the training grounds and find this soldier and find out what’s going on.”

“Sounds good to me,” Azrael shrugged. They continued down the path, the enjoying the breeze through the trees and the relatively peaceful afternoon. They made it into Bentbranch Meadow after about fifteen minutes, and both of them were quick to attune to its Aetheryte. “So, the training grounds were…” Azrael trailed off. Brix looked questioningly at him, but Azrael held up a finger.

“…told her that yesterday.”

“It’s almost like she isn’t listening to your reports.”

“I think it’s that there are too many people reporting on this man. I mean, three reports within the same bell? From four different parts of the Shroud? I think the Lieutenant just thinks we are imagining things.”

“But we aren’t!”

“I know that, but she thinks we are just trying to make something out of nothing and get a reward.”

“He was so creepy though. And remember how there was an Ixal raid not even five minutes after we lost sight of him?”

“I know…well, we best be moving on with our patrol before we get in trouble again. That’s all we need…”

Azrael looked at Brix uneasily. “I wonder if that’s what Mother Miounne was talking about.”

Brix shrugged. “Probably. But she wouldn’t have encouraged us to look into it if it was too dangerous. She knows how green we are.”

“I hope you’re right,” Azrael said quietly, rubbing his thumb along the new wand on his belt. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Well, let’s go see what the man has to say then, shall we?” Brix indicated he should start walking, and started walking back the way they came. They walked together along the path towards the training area, but the afternoon in the forest was no longer as tranquil as it had been on their way over. _It’s just my imagination,_ Azrael thought. _But I can’t shake the feeling I’m being watched._

Brix led the way along the path, turning down to walk down a hill towards an encampment. Azrael trailed along behind him, looking around with interest. Azrael looked forward again to notice Brix watching him with an amused smile. “I’ve never been in a military camp. And I like new experiences.” Azrael felt his cheeks flush a little, but it was the truth.

Brix held up his hands, smiling at Azrael. “I didn’t say a word. Ready?”

Azrael nodded, still a little apprehensive. “Do you know who to talk to?”

Brix seemed to be attempting to refrain from rolling his eyes. “No, but we go talk to the person that seems to be in charge and see if they have any work for adventurers.” Brix walked away, Azrael hurrying to keep in step behind him. They walked through the compound, ignored for the most part by the soldiers going through drills and the instructors barking commands. There was a large set of stairs leading to a command deck, with a Hyur soldier in finer armor than the others speaking to Miqo’te. The Miqo’te saluted and walked off.

The Hyur turned and noticed them. “Ah, adventurers! Mother Miounne didn’t send you by any chance, did she?”

Azrael’s eyebrows shot up and he glanced at Brix before responding. “Yes, she did. Are you in charge here?”

The man saluted them and smiled widely. “I am. My name is Galfrid, and I was hoping that she would send someone capable soon enough.” He indicated that they should step closer, and both Brix and Azrael stepped in so they were within a few feet of him. “Mother Miounne tries her best to help the Wood Wailers and God’s Quiver out with adventurers, which helps the Adventurer’s Guild by keeping them relevant in a land such as Gridania where outsiders are looked at with such hostility.”

“She mentioned that there had been some odd occurrences in the Shroud?” Brix asked, crossing his arms in front of him.

Galfrid nodded and frowned. “I don’t know if either of you have heard the rumors of the suspicious individual that has been seen prowling around the Twelveswood?” Azrael nodded, glancing at Brix. “Well, what you may not have heard is that Ixal activity has risen sharply in the Twelveswood as well. We thought that this was merely a coincidence, but the areas that the individual has been seen in were the exact same areas that the Ixal have been raiding with more fervor than usual. Since we suspected a connection, the Twin Adder tightened security and surveillance in the area. But…it’s almost as if he knows our movements ahead of time.” He looked at the pair of them and grinned, punching the air. “But where whole units have failed, a pair of adventurers may succeed. Since you are acting independently, you may be able to close in on the suspect unnoticed.”

Brix and Azrael shared a look. Brix nodded. “Sure,” Azrael said, putting on a braver face than he felt. “We can take a look around and see if we can track this person down.”

“Excellent!” Galfrid beamed at them. “So, I’m going to suggest that you take a look in the clearing called Lifemend Stump. It’s to the north of here, through a passage behind a waterfall. It’s a fairly accessible location, but it’s there where the majority of the sightings took place.” Azrael nodded, and they turned to leave. “A word of caution friends…” Azrael looked back to Galfrid, who seemed a little anxious for the first time since they’ve met. “The Twin Adder cannot openly offer you support in this, in case our quarry catches scent of us and evades us. You’ll be on your own. Proceed with caution.”

Azrael and Brix shared another look, before Brix turned and started up the path. Azrael bowed to Galfrid, and hurried to catch up with Brix. They walked the path in silence, and Azrael looked up ahead to see where Galfrid was talking about. It wasn’t very far from the training ground, which was surprising, but there was no path leading to the passage that was visible from where they were standing. They walked along the road and turned off and walked through the tall grass along the river and eventually reached the outcrop that Galfrid had mentioned.

They walked through the passage into a very quiet and beautiful clearing. Azrael could feel…almost like a tension in the air. “Do you feel that?” Azrael whispered, causing Brix to pause in his steps.

“Feel what?” Brix looked at him in confusion.

“It’s…almost like a very tense moment,” Azrael said, looking around to see the source of feeling. It was all around him, and he could feel the sensation almost like someone was whispering to him to explain what he was feeling. _This couldn’t be…the elementals could it?_ Azrael doubted this very much, he didn’t have the talents required to be a Hearer. _And yet…the extended use of conjury is known to open your senses to nature since you are tapping directly into the forces of nature. Maybe I’m getting a sense of what the elementals are feeling, even if I can’t understand what they’re saying._

“—listening?”

Azrael’s eyes snapped back to focus, seeing that Brix was staring at him in a combination of annoyance and amusement. “What was that?” Azrael asked, clearing his throat and feeling himself blush.

“Well, I was asking if you were listening to me but it is clear you weren’t,” Brix smiled at him, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I suggest we move further in to the clearing. We won’t see anything standing back here by the passage.”

“Lead on kind sir,” Azrael said graciously, bowing to him.

Brix rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “ass” under his breath, but he continued further into the clearing. He moved cautiously, looking around and taking in his surroundings. Azrael was about six steps behind him, and drew his wand out of habit. They continued into the clearing, and Azrael noticed that there was an absolutely enormous stump serving as a platform of sorts in the direct center of the clearing. Oddly enough, there was something sticking out of it. Something that looked suspiciously like—

“Is that a sword?” Azrael asked quietly.

Brix glanced to Azrael and nodded, his expression grave. “It looks like it.” Azrael climbed up onto the stump, with Brix following a moment behind. Azrael noticed that there were engravings and markings along the stump in intricate patterns and he was careful to avoid disturbing them as he walked to the sword. He crouched down and examined the blade, and felt his heart drop.

“Ixal.” The word was whispered, but he felt Brix tense and Azrael straightened back up. He saw Brix scanning the area, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Azrael noticed another change in the area however. “Do you hear that?”

Brix turned and looked at Azrael, his eyes widening slightly. “The birdsong. It stopped.”

“Well, this is lovely and ominous,” Azrael said quietly, and Brix chuckled slightly.

“Look!” The voice came from behind them, making both of them jump and swing around. A young Hyur woman, dressed in crisp white clothes and red greaves, was approaching from the passage. “Someone’s already here.” A Lalafell man and…of all things, a moogle were hot on her heels. None of them seemed to be aggressive, but they certainly qualified as oddly dressed. Azrael went to step forward and Brix caught his arm, shaking his head very slightly. Brix stepped forward, keeping himself between the approaching people and Azrael. “Is…that a sword in the stump?” The woman rapped her chin with her left hand, frowning as they came to a stop a few malms away from the stump. “Oh dear. Bad idea. Really bad idea. It takes a lot less than that to initiate the Greenswrath you know. Why, the first time we came to the Twelveswood, we—”

“Is one of them our dark stranger?” The Lalafell man asked loudly, interrupting the woman. The moogle floated forward, and the woman placed her hands on her hips, looking very put upon.

“No, no, no!” The moogle’s voice was very high, and the moogle buzzed around the pair of them briefly before floating back to the Lalafell. “Not either of them. Not even close, kupo!”

This drew the woman’s attention. “Hmm? You know them Kuplo Kopp?”

The moogle did a small dance in the air. “Not exactly, but we did sort of share his carriage ride into Gridania.” Azrael’s eyes widened. _So, I wasn’t imagining things._

The Lalafell man took an ornate looking mask out of a pocket of his robes and place it on his face. There was a whirring noise as it powered up and unfolded to cover much of his head. Azrael watched curiously as a light began to glow from an orb on the mask and the man began to scan the area.

“How are the readings?” The woman asked him conversationally.

“Same as the last,” The man replied, his voice elegant and composed. “There is a disturbance here as well, and newly manifested at that.” The mask powered down and he removed it from his face., stowing it back in his robes. He turned back to face the pair of them, his face stern. “Kuplo Kopp seems convinced of your innocence. But if it isn’t your doing, whose is it?”

“Ever since the Calamity, the forest has been really sensitive,” The woman piped up.

“Well, that’s understandable,” Azrael said, speaking for the first time. “The Calamity changed everything for the worse, all across the realm.” The Lalafell man stroked his chin, watching him with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Well, the difference is that here in the Twelveswood,” The woman continued as there was a faint rumbling from farther in the clearing, “is that the slightest change to the aetheric flow makes _this_ happen.” The ground farther in began to churn as if it were bubbling porridge, and large branch-like arms began to raise from the ground. Azrael drew his wand and Brix stepped forward, drawing his shield and sword. Three more treants emerged from the ground, approaching the party.

The Lalafell man drew his ornate looking staff as the woman drew her fist weapons and dropped into her fighting stance. “It seems we have little choice.”

The treants roared at them, and Brix charged forward. He met the first a few yalms away from Azrael, slashing at it with his sword and blocking its heavy blow with his shield. Azrael concentrated and called on his conjury, and summoned for blades of wind which whipped forward and slashed along the treant. It roared in anger, several branches falling away. There was a flash of red and the treant collapsed, fire surging across its trunk. Azrael glanced at the Lalafell man, and he was already in the middle of an incantation for another spell.

Azrael turned his attention to the next, being engaged by the woman. She was incredibly agile, striking several hard blows and seeming to evade every attack coming from the treant. Azrael concentrated again and several large rocks the size of a grapefruit came into existence in front of him, flying like bullets to strike the treant. It roared, but it also collapsed like the previous since the rocks had shorn most of its face away.

An enormous blast of fire caught Azrael’s attention. He glanced and saw that the Lalafell man had completed a much longer incantation, summoning forth a large fireball that easily took out one of the treants on his own. There was a yelp and Azrael whipped his eyes back, seeing the woman tumbling backwards, having finally been struck by one of the treants. There were four left, and Brix was easily holding their attention and deflecting their blows against his armor. Azrael concentrated on the woman, sending a surge of healing magic towards her and she jumped back to her feet. She sprung forward, seeming almost to fly up towards the crown of one of the treants. She struck down, and there was a thunderous _CRACK_ as a massive split appeared in its face and it too, fell to the ground.

Azrael concentrated his energies again, definitely feeling the drain on his mana, but he summoned forth another large series of boulders. They shot forward, striking two hard in their crown and they both let out roars before collapsing. Another blast of fire came into existence on the last, Brix rolling backwards to avoid the flames, and then there was quiet in the clearing. Brix straightened up and glowered at the Lalafell man, who looked a little sheepish.

“My apologies,” The man bowed, seeming a little out of breath. “I should’ve warned you I’d be casting on that one.” Brix nodded, sheathing his weapon and coming over to stand next to Azrael again. The treants were already being swallowed back up by the ground, but there was an odd glimmer left behind from the first one that had been defeated. Azrael nudged Brix, and the two of them walked over to the glimmer.

Two large crystals, about a foot long each, was shining on the ground. It was a clear sky blue, and sat innocently on the ground. Azrael moved to pick one up and jumped back when it began to vibrate on the ground. Slowly, each of them rose into the air on their own accord and floated over in front of each of them. Azrael lost the sense of his surroundings, even Brix standing right next to him, as the light of the crystal took over his vision.

Everything was black except for the crystal. It flew about a malm away from him, illuminating a large ornate circle on the ground around him. There were six circles arranged around him, like the spokes of a wheel, and everything was connected with ornate magical lines. The crystal settled into one of the circles, and there was a blinding flash of light.

_Hear…_

The voice came out of nowhere and everywhere, Azrael’s sight blinded by the light. It sounded motherly, and incredibly kind.

_Feel… Think…_

The light faded, replaced by the impenetrable darkness. Slowly light came into existence again, illuminating an incredibly large crystal floating in the area in front of him several yalms away. It was easily the size of a planet, and the size of it almost overwhelmed Azrael. “Crystal bearer…” The voice and the light seemed to be coming from the huge crystal. “I am Hydaelyn. All made one. A light there once was that shone throughout this realm…yet it hath since grown dim. And as it hath faltered, so hath Darkness risen up in its stead, presaging an end to Life. For the sake of all, I beseech thee—deliver us from this fate.” Azrael was overwhelmed, but the light from the crystal shining on him made it impossible to feel fear.

“What can I do?” Azrael asked, his voice echoing with a noticeable quaver.

“The power to banish the Darkness dwelleth in the Crystals of Light,” The voice continued. “Journey forth and lay claim to them. By thy deeds, shall the Crystals reveal themselves to thee. Only believe…for the Light liveth in thy heart.” Azrael noticed a figure far too his right and realized it was Brix, who also noticed his presence at the same time. They were suspended in space and unable to move, but Azrael felt reassured with him nearby. The light began to shine from all around again, blinding Azrael’s vision. “Go forth now my child…and shine thy Light on all creation.”

The light slowly began to fade, replaced by absolute darkness.

Azrael felt the darkness slowly recede from his vision, replaced by the clear blue sky and tree branches. He quickly realized that he was lying on the ground, seemingly having collapsed. A bright red pom-pom came into existence over his head, and he saw Kuplo Kopp floating over him. Seeing his eyes open again, he floated off out of his field of vision and Azrael sat up.

The clearing was quiet and peaceful again, and the Lalafell man was investigating the sword in the stump. He straightened upon seeing Azrael’s movement, and Azrael noticed that Brix had fallen to the ground as well at his side. Azrael and Brix shared a look before they both stood up. “You fainted,” The man called from the stump. “A surfeit of aether, no doubt.”

“What have we here?” The woman’s voice called from behind a tree, and Azrael and Brix both approached her. A dead Ixal was lying on the ground by the tree, a shield still strapped to its arm but missing his sword.

“Our culprit, it would seem,” The Lalafell man’s voice came from beside them, and Azrael noticed the man had joined them from his position on the stump. “An Ixal. And no ordinary one either—a chieftain.” He stroked his chin, looking worried. “That they would venture this deep into enemy territory…the beastmen may indeed be acting under orders.” He turned away and walked back to the stump. He placed a finger over a device that was around his right ear and began speaking urgently.

The woman walked over and stood in front of the two of them. “How are you feeling?”

Azrael shared a look with Brix for a moment. “Fine,” he said after a moment, smiling at her, “thank you.”

The Lalafell man walked over and joined them, the moogle still floating around him. He looked up at the moogle. “Kuplo Kopp, please bear word of these developments to Brother E-Sumi-Yan. We shall soon return to give a full report.”

“Understood!” The moogle did a salute. “Over and out, kupo!”

The Lalafell man turned his attention back to Azrael and Brix as the moogle flew off into the forest. “Here is where we part ways. Take care, both of you.” He strode off towards the passage, the woman following after a moment. Azrael and Brix shared a look again, watching the two strange individuals leave the clearing. The woman suddenly stopped, and turned back around.

“Hey! I think that sword may be a clue!” She shouted back to them. “You should probably take it back to the Bannock!” Azrael stared at her blankly for a moment, before it dawned on him. _That must be the name for the training area that Galfrid’s at._ She waved at the pair of them enthusiastically, before running to catch up with the Lalafell man.

The pair of them watched the strange woman and man leave the area. Once they had vanished behind a turn in the tunnel leading outside into the forest, Brix stepped close to Azrael. “Are you okay?” He asked quietly, examining him.

Azrael smiled and rolled his eyes. “I’m fine. Are you? You were the one taking the majority of the damage.”

Brix rapped the armor on his chest smartly. “That’s why I wear this. Impressive conjury. You took a couple out by yourself.”

“Thanks,” Azrael grinned but then his smile faded. “Did…did you have a vision about…”

“About Hydaelyn?” Brix finished his sentence, his smile drooping a bit. “I did. I saw you there too. What do you think it means?”

“Well…” Azrael hesitated. “It sounds a lot like…the tales people tell about the Warriors of Light.”

Brix stared at him, a mixture of doubt and incredulity on his face. “The ones at the battle of Carteneau you mean?”

“Yeah…people say that they were blessed by Hydaelyn and that’s why they were so powerful and able to do the feats they did. And it was that same blessing that kept their identities from reaching history books after they vanished.”

Brix frowned: uneasiness was sketched heavily on his face. “Well. Let’s keep this to ourselves for the time being. But we should head back to Galfrid.” He walked over and pulled the blade out of the stump, and Azrael hurried to follow him out of the clearing.

A short walk later, and they were back at the Bannoch. Galfrid looked pleased to see them, instantly raising a hand in greeting and moving to meet them as they came down the slope. “I’m glad to see you two in one piece! A patrol reported seeing you battle enraged treants. Why—”

Brix handed him the sword, and he blanched when he saw it. “An Ixal chieftain was dead behind one of the trees,” Azrael said after a moment. “It appeared he had driven that into the stump and triggered the Greenwrath.”

Galfrid frowned. “For an Ixal to venture this far into the Shroud without us noticing…this is alarming.”

“And we did see some…strange individuals,” Brix piped in, causing Galfrid to look to him in alarm. “A young Hyur woman and a Lalafell mage, both sporting strange…mask-like spectacles, and odd markings on their clothes.”

Galfrid laughed, a trace of his bright personality coming back. “Ah, so you met Yda and Papalymo. They are scholars from Sharlayan, and they have been with Gridania since before the Calamity. They are some of our staunchest allies. Indeed, they help the Gods’ Quiver and the Wood Wailers in their duties. Much as I hope you will in days to come.” He frowned again, looking off towards the soldiers going through their drills. “While our unknown figure still eludes us, you’ve given us important information regarding the Ixal. You have my gratitude.” He smiled at them, but then laughed. “But I would imagine you would prefer an actual reward, compared to my gratitude.” He beckoned to a soldier, and they walked forward. The soldier handed both Brix and Azrael a leather pouch, and Galfrid bowed to them. “I will send word to you if I need further assistance. In the meantime, I would suggest getting back to the Carline Canopy. The day is waning.”

Azrael bowed to Galfrid and Brix nodded. The two of them began their walk back to Gridania. “How much did we get as a reward?” Azrael asked quietly once they were out of earshot. They looked inside their pouches and quickly counted the gil that they had received as a reward. They exchanged an impressed look with one another. “Not bad at all for a day’s work. I may be able to get some better gear for myself.”

“And I may actually be able to get some plate armor instead of this chain mail,” Brix stowed the pouch and they shared a grin with one another. “But first, let’s go get some dinner at the Canopy and celebrate an excellent first day as adventurers.”

Azrael laughed. “First day? Haven’t you been an adventurer for a while longer than me?”

Brix flushed. “Well…technically,” he scratched the back of his neck, “but this is my first mission.”

Azrael’s eyebrows raised, but he didn’t say anything further. _Maybe that was why Miounne wanted me to accompany him…maybe he was a little nervous to go out on his own, since he doesn’t have anyone to watch his back._ They continued in an amiable silence after that, eventually reaching the gates of Gridania. Night had fallen properly at this point, and lamps were lit throughout the city streets. “It’s so beautiful here,” Azrael breathed, looking around at the quiet streets. Between the trees growing and the carefully tended gardens and flower patches and the streams and ponds quietly flowing, it was as if the forest hadn’t even been disturbed at all.

“Yeah,” Brix smiled, looking around as well. “It’s a big difference from Limsa Lominsa. Or Ul’dah for that matter.”

They stood in silence for a moment longer before Azrael’s stomach growled. The two of them laughed, and walked through the large archway into the Canopy. They walked over to speak with Mother Miounne, and she looked up as they approached. She beamed at the pair of them. “Look at the two of you! Such a successful day!”

Brix and Azrael shared a smile. “That’s what I was saying a few minutes ago,” Brix grinned at Mother Miounne. “Thank you for the introductions Mother Miounne.”

“My pleasure,” She nodded to each of them in turn. “That’s what I’m here for! Now, can I get you boys something to eat?”

“Yes please!” Azrael responded enthusiastically. Mother Miounne laughed.

“Oh, and can you spare some wine for us as well?” Brix asked as Mother Miounne made to leave. She nodded and continued on her way towards the kitchen. Azrael looked uneasily at Brix.

“I’m…not sure about the wine Brix,” Azrael said quietly, biting his lip nervously. “I’ve never really…well, drank before.”

Brix smiled reassuringly at Azrael. “You trust me, don’t you?” Azrael fidgeted, but nodded. “Well, trust me when I say that nothing bad will happen. We are two comrades-in-arms, celebrating a day’s work. Nothing will happen that you don’t want to, I promise you that. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Azrael smiled at him as Mother Miounne brought over goblets and plates of food. _He’s right. What’s the worst that could happen?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up a bit between Az and Brix. Things will not be censored, just to warn you.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the initial rough draft, and I have no one to proof read. If you'd like to, let me know. I'll try to update as often as possible.


End file.
